Power driven tool



W. H. RAY

Dec. 11, 1934.

POWER DRIVEN TOOL Filed April 29, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 11, 1934. wfH. RAY

POWER DRIVEN TOOL '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1931 Dec. 11, 1934. w. H. RAY

POWER DRIVEN TOOL Filed April 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITEDSTATES OFF POWER DRIVEN, TOOL I William Harry RayfChicag'o, In. t Application April 29, 1931.,S81'i2LLNO. 533,621 6 Claims. (01. 144Q32) This invention relates to machinery forinserting or driving screwsfinto'wood or metal or other materials. i

Generally stated, to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement Whereby the mechanism for ro-.

. tating or turning or driving the screw is adapted to do-the work without danger of overdriving the screw or turning the screw after it is fully inserte'd, and whereby the screw driver point is normally at rest while the motor-driven 'connections for operating the screw driver point are continually rotating. i s 7 Another object is'to provide a novel and improved construction of feed mechanism forautomatically feeding the screws into position to be driven or inserted.

Another object is-to provide a novel and improved constructionof counterbalance for effectively counterbalancing the screw-inserting mechanism, which latter is movable up and down at will by the'operator or user of the machine.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efiiciency andthe desirability of a screw driving or inserting machine of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other 'useful ends, the

invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhichi Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a screw inserting machine embo'dyingthe principles of the invention; Y i

Fig. 2 is an lenlarged vertical section; of the counterbalancing mechanism for supporting the power operate'd screw-inserting or driving elements for up and down movement;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 in Fig. 4, showing the automatic hopper mechanism for feeding the screws; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line4-4 in Fig. 3 of the drawings; y y V Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5,in Fig. 3 of the drawings;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is an enlarged i i l Fig-8 is-an enlarged detail section on line 8-8 inFig.3;"

i Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of the motor driven elements and casing therefor, for rotating the screw driver point or tool;

detail section on line 7-"? the object of the'invention is section 'on line 6- -6 Fig. 10 is anenlarged vertical section of a por-- tion of the feed mechanism for feeding the screws; Fig.- 111 is a detail "section onlinell -ll in Fig. lO'of the drawings. r

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view of one of the parts;. i

Fig. 13 is an underneath plan view of the' part showninFig.12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of oneof the parts;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the part shown in Fig.14.-;

Fig. 16 is a section on line 16- 16 in Fig. 9;

"Fig.1? is a section on line 17'17 in Fig. 9.

As thus illustrated, the inventioncomprises a bracket arm 1, which supports the motor and. gearinghousing 2 ofthe tool-operating mecha nisin, and which is in turn supported on'a yer tical tube 3 that is telescoped in a'larger tube 4 and held in adjusted position. therein by the collar and screw 5 shown for this purpose. In

this way the arm land the motor 2 can be adjusted up and down. The tube 4 is slidable up and down in the bearing 6'in the upper portion of the separable housing -7, and in the bearing 8 at the bottom of this housing, a spline 9 preventing the tube from rotating in these bearings The lower end of the tube 4 is connected by a rod 10 with the foot-pedal l1, so that the bracket and the housing and tool can be pulled downward to drive or insert the screws. A spring 12, applied as shown, normally pulls upwardly on the' rod 10, and thus keeps thebracket 1 and thehousing 2 in elevated position. The weight of the bracket 1 andthe housing 2is counterbalanced by the weight 13, which is movable upand down in the housing 7, this weight being carried on a cable l l that extends over thesheaves 15 inthe upper portion ofthe housing 7, and then under the sheave lfi carried by the tube 4, whereby the weight of the tube 4 on thesheaves is equalized, so that the end portions of the cable 14 are equalized in their pull on the weight 13 of thecounterbalancing mechanism. In this way,-the weight 13 is not liable to be skewed or tiltedin a manner that would cause it to bind on the tube or on the inner surface of the casing or housing in which it is enclosed.

The motor 17, of any suitable character, is provided with a pinion-l8 thatengages thegear 19 on the upper end of the member20, which latter is hollow and enclosed by the tubular or cylindrical casing 21, which has its upper end removably screwed into the lower portion of the housing 2, previously mentioned. The screw driv er point or tool-22 has a shank 23, terminatingfirst one way and then the other.

per portion 24, mounted vertically to rotate in the ball bearings and 26, suitably held in the lower portion of the cylindrical housing 21, previously mentioned. The shank portion 24 has its upper end provided with a clutch member 2'1, and with a spring-supported ball member 28, as shown. The upper clutch member 29 is mounted on the lower end of the stem 30, which latter has a fiat head portion 31, as shown. The under side of this head portion 31 is provided with ball cavities 32, as shown. The ring member 33 is provided with spline projections 34 f or engagement with the spline grooves 35 on the ringmember 33, when the screw is fullyinserted,

and when it is desired to stop the rotation of the screw driver tool-22, previously mentioned. An

ordinary ball thrust bearing 38 is interposed betweenthe. top of the head 31 and the member 20, as shown. The ring or bushing 39 is loose on the stem 30, and the coil spring 40 is interposed between this ring 39 and the ring 33, previously mentioned. On its bottom, the ring 39 is provided with three ball cavities 41, in which the balls are rigidly held, as shown, and the screw plug 42, which is screwed into the lower end of the member 20, is provided with shallow ball cavities43 to engage the balls44, three in number, whereby these balls canjump from cavityto cavity when the plug 42 is screwed up or down, to vary the tension of the spring 40 in a manner that will be readily understood. The ring 39'has spline plugs 45 that engage the spline, grooves 35, previously mentioned. As shown, the upper clutch member 29 has a central portion 46' for engagement with the'ball element 28-, wherebvthe clutch is normally held open by the spring 47 in the lower clutch member. When the tool.22 is moved upward, the clutch'is closed, and power-is communicated to thetool for rotating the screw. When the screw isfully inserted, the spindle 30 will cease to rotateas the balls 37 will slip or jump from cavity to cavity, in ring member 33, and thus prevent further rotation of the screwdrivertool.

, -Means are provided for'automatically feeding the screws as follows: A hopper 48 is provided on thejbracket arm 1, previously mentioned, and is provided witha rotary cylinder .49 which oscillates backand forth about a horizontal axis. The horizontal shaft 50 of said hopper mechanism has a pinion 51 that engages the vertical rack 52, as shown, said rack being mounted in stationary position on the base or table 53 of the machine. When the treadle 11 is operated, the hopper mechanism moves up and down, and the rack and pinion serve to rotate the cylinder 49, Inside of the cylinder 49, rigid with the interior thereof, are radial blades 54, which are rigid with theouter cylindrical wall-of the cylinder. The cylinder is mounted onthe shaft 50, as shown, being made in twosections, oneseetion having the hub55, and

the other section having the hub-56, telescoped within-the other hub, as: shown. The cylinder section 57is .he1d .against the pinion 51 by a collar 58, pinned; on the shaft 50, previously mentioned.

The cylinder section 59 is held on said shaft and,

1,984,282 in the chuck shown, the latter having an upkeyed thereto, by the pivoted spring-pressed key device 60, which is mounted on the outer hub 61 of this cylinder section, and which engages the outer portion of the shaft, whereby the shaft rotates the cylinder section 59, but does not rotate the cylinder section 57, to which latter the hopper 48 is united. The brushes 62 are on the hub 55, which latter is separate and adjustable, and hence these brushes rotate in the cylinder section 57, back and forth, in the, desired manner, when the tube 3 is moved up and down. As shown, the cylinder section 5'7 has a side opening 63, which communicates with the hopper 48, in which latter are placed the screws. Also, the lowersideof the cylinder section 57 has a feed slot 64 therein, for the screws, with a bevel guide 65 at one side thereof, this slot 64 having its end portions out of-line with each other, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The feed tube 66 communicates with the guide slot 64, being provided at itszend withatslot 67; as shown, through which the brushe s 62 may. enter tosweep the screws into the tube. The lower side of the tube 66 has a slot;68-inwhich-thescrews slide downwardly, as shown. It a;screw does not enter the tube 66 in;the right manner, or tries toenter head first, thebrushes 6 2;will sweep; it back again when the rotation is reversed, and in this way the proper feed oi the screwsis insured. s

The feed tube 66 communicates withthe upper end of a vertically disposed feed tube 69, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, through which the screws drop vertically ontothe pivoted escapementelement 70, upon. which latter each screw is caught byits head. The. nozzle 71 and the feed tube'IZ" are movable up and down slightly, the nozzle being slidable up and down on the screw driver tool 22, in order that the latter may come down and engage a screw, and then move upwardly relatively to permit the escape of another screw from. the passage 73 into the nozzle '71, as shown. The rod '74 is rigidwith the nozzle '71, and slides up and down in the bracket 75, which is rigid with the tube 69 and with the cylindrical casing; 21 previously mentioned. A spring "76 is provided on said rod '74, serving; normally to keep the nozzle '71 down'on the shoulder'77 of the screwdriver tool .22, in the manner shown in Fig, IQ of thedrawings. The rod 74 has a cam portion '78 for operatingthe escapement 70, whereby the up and down movement ofthis .rod will cause the escapemen-t to release the screws, one by one, into the passage 73 below. It will be understood that the nozzle '71 slides up on the screw driver tool 22, when the lower end of the nozzle isv brought down on thework, and then slides down again when the driving mechanism is liftedupward. In order that the screws may be released from the nozzle, the sides of the latter are provided with springs 79 having their lower ends provided with supporting portions 80 forsupporting the screw heads in position to be engaged by the screw driver tool 22, as shownmoreclearly in l ig. ll of the drawings. When the screw is driven home, its head will spread the portions -80 apart, and this permits the screw to be fully inserted. The springs '79 will then-bring Again, it will be seen that the member 39 is in the nature of a floating bearing containing steel alls h ld rigid y: nmat to lockthe t s on nterest;

justment; In additfion; themember 40 constitutes a single spring toapply tension to the members low "depressionsto engagethe steel'balls held in the member 39,-as shown in the drawings. There is atension diskjasshownyf or the balls which are held in the member 3i to prevent them from losing their positions inrelationjto each other. The balls mustbe equally spaced; for otherwise the tension would notbe effective."

As showrnthe brushes 62 are attached a; anatjustable ring, which latteris desirable to'obtain correct operation. "As to the slot 6'7, itwill be seen'that it "is important; to properly'feed'the screws" and to clear the opening of screws that do not enter correctly, such improperly entering :screws being swept ba ckby the brushes, as previ-'- ously stated. The cylinder section 59, and also the vanes 54, are important and servein the manner described to insure proper feeding of the screws.) It will be seen that the bevel guide 65 is in the nature of a deflecting shoe, for the purpose stated, and is an important feature :of the invention. Again, the invention obviously in.- volves the combination of an oscillatory hopper andreciprocating driving means.

What I claim as my invention is:

, 1. In apparatus for rotating a tool bypower, the combination of arotary memberfor supporting the tool in position to performits desired work,

a housing enclosing power controlling and transmission devices for rotating said member, afixed table for the'work, supporting and guidinginstrumentalities mounted on said table at one side of said tool andwhereby said housing is movable vertically to 'cause'axial movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalities to adjust the housing and thereby move the tool up and down, said devices having means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of power to said tool, and a motor rigid with said housing for operating said devices, movable up and down bodily therewith, said housing and motor being automatically movable upwardly in fixed relation, thereby to release the tool from the work and automatically open said transmission, said tool being a screwdriver, in combination with automatic mechanism for automatically feeding screws to the screwdriver, movable up and down bodily with said motor,

with fixed means on said table to operate said.

mechanism.

2. In apparatus for rotating a tool by power, the combination of a rotary member for supporting the tool in position to perform its desired work, a housing enclosing power controlling and transmission devices for rotating said member, a fixed table for the work, supporting and guiding instrumentalities mounted on said table at one side of said tool and whereby said housing is movable vertically to cause axial movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalities to adjust the housing and thereby move the tool up and down, said devices having means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of power to said tool, and a motor rigid with said housing for operating said devices, movable up and down bodily therewith, said housing and motor being automatically movable upwardly in fixed relation, thereby to release the tool from the work and automatically open said transmission, said tool being a screwdriver, combination with '7 rotary automatic mechanism operated by the up and down motion 'of said housing and tool for automatically feeding screws to the screwdriver, movable up and down bodily with saidmotor, withfixed-mans on said table to operate said mechanism, said mechanism comprising a nozzle having yielding means to support the screw head in position to be engaged b ythe screwdriver, adapted to yield to permit passage-oi the screw out of the nozzle.

3. jIn apparatus-for rotating a tool by power,

the combination-of *arotary member for supportingthetoolin position to perform its desired workfa housing enclos'ingjpower controlling and transmission devices for rotating said member, a

fixed table forthe work, supporting and guidingfinstrumentalities mounted on said table at one side ofsaidtool and whereby saidhousing is movable vertically tocause axial movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalities to adjust the housing and thereby move the tool up and down, said devices having means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of power to said tool, and a motor rigid with said housing foroperating said devices, movable up and down bodily therewith, said housingfandmotor being automatically movable upwardly in fixed relation, thereby to release the tool from the work'and automatically open said transmission, said tool being a screwdriver, incombination with rotary automatic mechanism operatedby the up and down motion of said housing and toolfor automatically feeding screws to the screwdriver, movable up and down bodily with said motor, with fixed means on said table to operate said mechanism, saidmechanism comprising a nozzle having yielding means to support the'screw head in position tobe engaged by the screwdriver, adaptedto yield .to permit passage ment of said motor and housing and tool.

4. In apparatus for rotating a tool by power, the combination of a rotary member for supporting the tool in position to perform its desired work, a housing enclosing power controlling and transmission devices for rotating said member, a fixed table for the work, supporting and guiding instrumentalities mounted onsaid table at one side of said tool and whereby said housing is movable vertically to cause axial movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalities to adjust the housing and thereby move the tool up and down, said devices having means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of power to said tool, and a motor rigid with said housing for operating said devices, movable up and down bodily therewith. said housing and motor being automatically movable upwardly in fixed relation, thereby to release the tool from the work and automatically open said transmission, said tool being a screwpermit: passage: of theiscrew out of the nozzle, saidfeed mechanism comprising a hopper provided with rotatable means, having guiding meansby'which the screws are swept by said rotatable means, and means wherebysaid rotatable means is operated by the axial movement of said housing andtool. v V

5. In apparatusfor rotating atool by power, the combination of arotary member for supporting the tool in position to performits desired work, a housing enclosing power controlling and transmission devices for rotating said member, a fixed table for the work, supportingandguidin instrumentalities mounted on said table at one side of said; tool and whereby said housing is movable vertically to cause axial, movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalities to adjust the housing and thereby move the tool up and down, said deviceshaving means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of power to said tool, and a motor rigid with said housing for operating said devices, movable up and down bodily therewith, said housing and motor being automatically movable upwardly in fixed relation, thereby to release the tool from the workand automatically open said transmission, said tool being ascrewdriver; in combination with rotary automatic mechanism operated by the up and down motion of said housing and tool for automatically feeding screws to the screwdriver, movable up and down bodily with said motor, characterized by the fact that said mechanism comprises a nozzle having yielding means to support the screw head in position to be engaged by the screwdriver, adapted to yield to permit. passage of the screw out of the nozzle, said feed mechanism comprising a hopper provided with rotatable means, having guiding means by which the screws are swept by said rotatable means, andmeans whereby said rotatable means is operated bythe axialmovement of said housing and tool, said rotatable means comprising brushes operated back and forth about a horizontal axis, adapted. to sweep the screws back and'forth at theentrance tosaid guide, thereby to insure properentry of the screws into said guide,

6. In apparatus for rotating a tool bypower, the, combination of a rotary member for supportingthe, tool inposition to perform its desired work, a housing enclosing power controlling and transmission, devicesfor rotating. said member, afixedtable forthe work, supporting and guiding instrumentalities mounted. on said table; at one side of said tool and whereby said housing ismovable vertically to cause axial movement of said tool, means on said instrumentalitiesv to adjust the housing, and thereby move the tool up and down, said'devices having means operable by said axial movement to open and close the mechanical transmission of. power. to saidltool, and a motor rigidwith'said housing for operating said'devices, movable up and down bodily therewith, said housing and motor being automatically movable up wardly infixed relation, thereby to release the tool from thework and automatically open said transmission, said tool being a screwdriver, in combination with rotary automatic mechanism operated by the up and down motion of said housing and tool for automatically feeding screws to the screwdriver, movable up and down bodily with said motor, characterized by the factthat said mechanism CQmpIises a nozzle having yie1d ingmeans to support the screw head in position to be engaged by the screwdriver, adapted to yield to permit passageof the screw out of thenozzle,

said hopper means comprising a rotary cylinder, 

